Mattia Borrani has launched a new five-piece Bowie Chef knife set on Kickstarter, featuring San Mai steel construction and G10 handles. The collection, which includes an 8-inch flagship workhorse, aims to introduce a distinct American blade identity to the culinary world by drawing inspiration from the historic Bowie knife shape.
A New American Blade Identity
The new collection, released on July 29, 2026, is designed to offer a domestic alternative to traditional Japanese, German, and French blade shapes. According to Mattia Borrani, the Bowie Chef line pays homage to an original American shape with nearly 200 years of history, providing a culinary blade shape that is unique to the United States.
The five-piece set includes an 8-inch Bowie Chef flagship model, a 7-inch version designed for agility, a 9-inch serrated slicer for bread and roasts, a 5-inch utility knife for prep, and a 3.5-inch paring knife for intricate cuts. All knives in the set feature black G10 handles, a high-pressure fiberglass laminate described by the company as durable, moisture-resistant, and secure even when wet.
Advanced Steel and Geometry
The centerpiece of the collection is the 8-inch Bowie Chef, which utilizes San Mai construction consisting of a VG-10 steel core clad in stainless steel. The company uses cryogenic quenching with liquid nitrogen during manufacturing to refine the carbide structure, aiming for a hardness of 61 HRC. This process is intended to enhance sharpness, wear resistance, and corrosion resistance.
Designed with a deep belly and specific edge geometry, the knife is built for a variety of kitchen tasks, including slicing, dicing, chopping, and rocking cuts. The clip point on the blade sits slightly higher than it would on a conventional chef's knife, a design choice intended to raise the pivot point during rocking motions to allow for a more fluid and efficient chopping action. Additionally, the deep belly is designed to keep a user's knuckles clear of the cutting board during a full stroke.
Versatile Clip Point Functionality
The Bowie Chef design incorporates a raised clip point that serves multiple functional purposes. While the design provides a thin enough tip for detailed piercing and slicing work—tasks sometimes difficult with traditional German knives—it also allows for specific utility tasks. The curved point has been noted for its ability to remove seeds from fruit, such as apples and strawberries, and to core tomatoes.
Company Background and Manufacturing
The company behind the new line, Mattia Borrani Cutlery, is a California-based business operating out of Sonoma County. The company was founded by Mattia Borrani, who has a background in both the culinary and manufacturing industries, including experience making custom everyday carry (EDC) knives through his other company, Begg Knives.
While the company produces many custom models in-house—handling tasks such as rolling steel, cutting, grinding, and heat treatment—some production models are imported. The company has been operating in Sonoma County for nearly a decade, expanding from custom knife making into professional-grade culinary tools.
Technical Specifications and Ergonomics
The Bowie Chef 8-inch model features a blade length of 8 inches and a width of 2 inches at the heel, with a total weight of 7.75 ounces. The blade thickness is .080 inches, and the handle measures 4.75 inches. The blade features a flat grind that transitions into a slight convex toward the cutting edge.
Earlier reviews of similar Bowie-style chef knives highlighted the utility of the clip point for tasks ranging from deseeding fruit to butterfly cutting meat. However, users have noted that the tall blade design can sometimes make a pinch grip feel awkward and may require more wrist angling during dicing compared to traditional knives like those from Zwilling. Despite these ergonomic considerations, the design is intended to support higher rock chops, which is consistent with Western culinary techniques.
Availability and Pricing
The five-piece set is currently available through a Kickstarter campaign with founder pricing. Once the Kickstarter period concludes, the company intends to move the line to full retail pricing. The collection is aimed at a wide range of users, from novice home cooks to professional chefs seeking high-quality, handcrafted cutlery.
